MPV Commentary

Elisha Causes Iron to Swim.

1. The location where Elisha and his students were staying is likely Jericho, a city that would have been familiar to them. This narrative highlights the humble circumstances of Elisha's pupils, who were drawn to him because of his ministry and miracles.

2. The students asked Elisha if they could go to the Jordan River to gather timber for their work. The riverbanks were wooded, providing an abundance of material.

5. One student had borrowed an iron axe-head from someone else, but now he couldn't afford to replace it. His distress arose from the fact that the axe-head was a gift, and he felt guilty about not being able to repay the loan.

6. Elisha instructed one of his students to cut down a stick and throw it into the Jordan River. Although this method seemed unlikely to work, God miraculously intervened, causing the iron axe-head to float back up to the surface.